Star

Star was born at about 4.30 on Wednesday 4th June. He is son of Isis and Dark Moon.

I checked Isis as I popped out – no signs of labour – and when I came back she had had Star. It was raining heavily and he was already cold, although very newborn. Straight into the barn and call the vet (manly as Isis doesn’t come into milk, but also as the cria was wheezy. A sign of inhaled water or prematureness.) Once Star had been bought into the house to warm up and had had artificial alpaca colostrum he rallied and started to try to stand at six hours old. Isis had some milk the following morning but we expect to have to bottle feed Star for about 2 weeks to supplement Isis’ milk.

So how did he get his name? He was to be called Coda because Isis is 17 (an old alpaca) and we had thought she was past having cria. She also has a dreadful history with her offspring. Many are born premature and don’t survive. She has only had two that have got through the first few months, so we don’t give them ‘human’ names. In case you don’t know a coda is a final ending added to a piece of music. But a jet black alpaca with a white star on his forehead and sired by dark moon – what else could he be called? The white paster on his ear is just to help it shape correctly (It was inside out!)